Charger for firearms



July 17, 1962 3,044,361

A. J. LlZZA CHARGER FOR FIREARMS Filed NOV. 10. 1959 EigLL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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July 17, 1962 A. J. LIZZA CHARGER FOR FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1959 a d s a Ls sLsLu a 6 kTd s d dLs a sLu a s a LeLuLs d ly 7-, 1962 A. J. LIZZA 3,044,361

CHARGER FOR FIREARMS Filed Nov. 10. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

Alhafi lLiz zu wowadfl w 3,044,361 Patented July 17, 1962 fitice 3,044,361 CHARGER FOR FIREARMS Albert J. Lizza, Williamsett, Mass, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Nov. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 852,153

r I 8 Claims. (Cl. 89-1) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to chargers for firearms and more particularly to mechanical chargers for those firearms having reciprocal bolts which are spring-biased to the battery position and which perform loading, firing and unloading functions during the operating cycle.

With thosefirearms having reciprocalbolts which are spring-biased to the battery position and which during the counter-recoil stroke thereto strip a cartridge from a-supply magazine and chamber it in the firearm barrel and then actuate the bolt locking device, it is necessary for the spring to have suflicient energy transferred thereto during the recoil stroke of the bolt to perform such operating functions. The springs customarily employed are of coil types wherein the compressing load increases as the springs are compressed and, when the calibers of the firearms are 20 mm. and larger, the terminal load is considerable, requiring mechanical help to manually actuate the bolts to the recoil position during charging.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a mechanical charger for actuating the bolt in its recoil stroke by manual means with such charger having a variable mechanical advantage which compensates for the gradually increased load on the bolt as the bolt-springs are compressed. v

It is another object of this invention to provide a levertype charger in which the position therealong at which leverage is applied to the bolt varies between the fulcrum connection at one end and the handle means at the opposite end according to the displacement of the bolt to the recoil position for a variable mechanical advantage which facilitates the charging operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a lever-type charger'in which connection is made between the charging lever and the bolt by the sliding engagement 7 of a' cable terminating ball with a circuitous pathway through the charger,

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

"FIG. 1 is a reduced side view of a firearm with the charger of this invention mounted thereto;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken'along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. '5 is a view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the lever spaced from closed position;

:FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the lever in the open position and the bolt released;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 but showing an alternate embodiment of the invention;

- FlG.'9 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the lever in the open position and the bolt released.

FIGS. l7 illus trate one embodiment of the charging device of this invention and shown in such figures is a firearm 12 having a cylindrical receiver 14 with a barrel '16 mounted thereon. A magazine 18 is installed to the from through fulcrum 28 and such extension is disposedunderside of receiver 14 and -a bolt 20 is slidingly disposed therein for successively stripping cartridges from the magazine and chambering them in barrel 16 during counter-recoil strokes. Bolt 20 is energized for the counterrecoil strokes by a pair of compressible coil springs 22 which are disposed between the bolt and the rear end of receiver 14 so as to be compressed by the bolt when driven to the recoil position through the forces produced when the cartridges are discharged in barrel 16.

Bolt 20 may be manually actuated to initially charge firearm 12 or remove a dud cartridge from barrel 16 by, a charger 24 having a supporting beam 26 which is fixedly mounted on the outside of receiver at one side of magazine 18. The length of beam is greater than the distance between the battery and recoil. positions of bolt 20 and the beam is disposed on receiver 14 so as to be parallel to the travel of the bolt.

Provided at the front end of beam 26 is an outwardly extending fulcrum 28 on which there is pivotally mounted a lever 36 which is actuatable between a closed position parallel to the beam and an open position at right angles thereto in the plane occupied by the axis of receiver 14 and the beam. Lever 30 is pivotally supportedby means of a pin 32 which extends transversely through fulcrum Z8 and a pair of flanges 34 disposed at the front end of the lever to straddle such fulcrum. A rod 36 extends transversely through the free end of lever 30 to provide gripping means for manual actuation thereof. 7

Provided along the length of lever 30 is a keyhole slot 38 comprising a bore 40 and a mouth portion 42 which extends therealong to provide outside communication therewith and which is disposed symmetrical to the plane occupied by the axes of receiver 14 and such bore. Another keyhole slot 44 comprising a bore 46 and mouth portion 48 extends along beam 26 with such mouth por-' tion directly facing mouth portion 42, An extension 50 of keyhole slot 44 extends arcuately at a 90 angle therefor registry with the adjacent end of keyhole slot 38 in lever 36 when the lever is in the open position to provide communication between the keyhole. slots 38 and 44 as best shown in FIG. 7. As extension50 partially intersects the location of pin32, a clearance 51 .is formed therein to provide unobstructed communication along such extension. 1

Mounted on the inside of-receiver'14 on the opposite 7 side of the wall thereof from beam 26 is a tubular casing 52 which slidingly supports an actuator 54 having-a lug 56 which extends throughian opening 58 along the casing to contact a forwardly facing flat 60 on bolt 20 so that rearward displacement of the actuator may be trans ferred to the bolt for actuation thereof from the battery to the recoil position. Provided at the rear end of casing 52 is a pair of spaced flanges 62 which project outwardly from the inside of receiver 14- through an aperture 64 so that the space between the flanges is in registry with both keyhole slots 38 and 44 as is shown in FIG. 5.

A cable 66 is attached at one end to the. rearend of actuator 54 and extends through casing 52 and over a pulley 68 rotatingly supported by an axle 70 mounted between the flanges62. The opposite end of cable 66 is attached by a collar 71 having a diameter slightly larger than the cable to a ball 72 having a diameter, similar to that of bores 40 and-46' so as to be slidable therealong 'with said collar being extendable through the mouth portions 42 and 48 as the ball is moved along-the bores.

actuator 54 in the forward position thereof during normal operation of firearm 12.

The width of mouth portion 42 rearwardly of where ball 72 is normally disposed in bore 40 when bolt 20 is in battery position is enlarged, as noted at 76, so that the walls thereof are tangential to the bore to permit entry of the ball thereinto. Ball 72 is directed from bore 46 in beam 26 to a position to be received by enlarged portion 76 for entry into bore 40, when lever 30 is swung to the closed position, by a finger spring 78 which is mounted between the flanges 62. Finger spring 78 is bifurcated to permit a direct passage of cable 66 to pulley 68 while ball 72 is slidingly guided to such entry position by the contact of such spring with the end of collar 71, as shown in FIG. 6. Ball 72 is pressed into bore 40 when lever 30 is swung to the closed position by means of a leaf spring 80 which is mounted on the inside of receiver 14 rearwardly of aperture 64 and which extends outwardly therethrough. The outer end of spring 80 is terminated by a cross-bar 82 the extending arms of which are received in a pair of cam grooves 84 formed in the opposite sides of enlarged portion 76. The cam grooves are V-shaped in configuration and each includes an entrance portion 86, which extends rearwardly and outwardly from the side of lever 30 facing receiver 14 when in the closed position, and a latching portion 88 which extends forwardly and outwardly from the rear end thereof as best shown in FIG. 7.

When lever 30 is swung to the closed position, the arms of cross-bar 82 first enter the entrance portions 86 to press spring 80 rearwardly and then the spring presses forwardly during the final closing movement of lever 30 along the latching portions 86 to move ball 72, which was received within the enlarged portion 76 as the lever was swung to the closed position, into bore 40.

Thus, when firearm is to be charged, the free end of lever 30 is grasped and pulled outwardly away from receiver 14. The pivotal movement of lever 30 pulls on cable 66 through the engagement of ball 72 with bore 40 whereby actuator 54 is moved against flat 60 to move bolt 20 rearwardly in receiver 14. As lever 30 is continued to be swung outwardly, the load on the cable through the compression of the springs 22 causesthe portion of the cable which is pulled from receiver 14 to seek a right angular relationship respective to the lever. Whereupon ball 72 is gradually moved forward along bore 40 towards fulcrum 28 as the lever 30 is swung to the open position. Thus, as bolt 20 is displaced towards the recoil position, and the load of the springs 22 increases correspondingly as they are compressed, the leverage applied to cable 66 is also increased so that the pressure to be applied to lever 30 for the charging operation remains substantially the same.

When lever 30 is swung to the open position and bolt 20 has been fully actuated to the recoilposition thereof, and ball 72 is in the forward end of bore 40, keyhole slot 38 is in registry with extension 50 whereby through the angular components of force applied to the ball by cable 66 as shown in FIG. 7 and the bias of the springs applied thereto the ball passes around such extension to enter bore 46 for free rearward movement therealong. Whereby, bolt 20 is free to be biased to the battery position by the compressed springs 22. As bolt 20 approaches battery position, ball 72 is pulled around finger spring 78 and against leaf spring 80 into position to be received by enlarged portion 76 when lever 30 is swung to the closed position. As lever 30 is closed, the arms of leaf spring 80 enter the cam grooves 84 to resiliently latch the lever against displacement and press ball 72 forwardly into bore 40, as hereinbefore described, to reen gage the lever to bolt 20 so that charger 24 is ready for charging firearm 12 again when the lever is swung to the open position.

Shown in FIGS. 8-9 is another embodiment of the invention in which a lever 90 is provided with a boss which is disposed transversely through boss 92 and a pair of receiving lugs 96 extending from the outside of receiver 14.

A bore 98 extends into lever from the free end thereof and is terminated by an end wall 100 disposed adjacent boss 92. A slot 102 provides outside communication with bore 98 along the length thereof and is disposed symmetrical to the plane occupied by the axes of the bore and receiver 14 and on the side of lever 90 ad jacent thereto.

Bore 98 slidingly accommodates a ball 104 which is attached to one end of a cable 106 which extends out wardly through slot 102 to enter receiver -14 through aper ture 64 therein. The portion of cable 106 which is inside of receiver 14 is received by a tubular casing 108 which is fixedly attached to the inside of receiver so as to be parallel to lever 98 when in the closed position and to lie along the path of reciprocation of bolt 20. The end of cable 106 which is inside of casing 108 is attached to an actuator 110 slidingly disposed therein. Actuator 110 includes a lug 112 which extends outwardly from casing 108, through a mouth portion 114 extending therealong, so as to be engageable, as hereinafter described, with bolt 20 for actuation thereof to the recoil position when lever 90 is swung to the open position. Casing 108 includes a pair of flanges 116 which extend from the rear end thereof through aperture 64 for registry with slot 102 adjacent the rear end thereof. Rotatingly mounted between the flanges 116 is a pulley 118 which rollingly supports cable 106 while being turned angularly through aperture 64. The contact of lever 90 with the flanges 116 establishes the closed position of the lever.

Fixedly secured within casing 108 adjacent the forward ends of the flanges 116 is a collar 124 which has a central hole for the passage of cable 106 therethrough. A compressible coil spring 126 is disposed in casing 108 between collar 124 and the rear end of actuator 1110 to bias the actuator forwardly in position to engage bolt 20, as hereinafter described, when the bolt is in battery position. Cable 1% passes rearwardly through the coils of spring 126 and the length of the cable is so arranged that when actuator 110 is in the bolt engaging position, lever 90 is held in closed position.

Bolt 20 is engaged by actuator 110 to be actuated thereby to the recoil position, when lever 90 is swung to the open position, by means of a latch 128 which is pivotally mounted in a recess in bolt 20 so as to be pivotal between an engaging and a disengaged position. When latch 128 is in the engaging position, it extends angularly outwardly and forwardly from bolt 20 so that the front end is contactable by lug 112 when actuator is rearwardly displaced by lever 90. Latch 128' is biased to the engaging position by a spring 130. A disconnector 132 extends from the outside of casing 108 adjacent the rear end thereof and is positioned to engage latch 128 for camming actuation thereof to the disengaged position when bolt 20 is adjacent the recoil position thereof to free the bolt for counterrecoil stroke through the bias of the compressed springs 22. Lever 90' is biased to the closed position by spring 126.

When lever 90 is swung outwardly to charge firearm 12, cable 106 is pulled from receiver 14 through the engagement of ball 104 with lever 90 through bore 98. As cable 106 is pulled out, bolt 20 is actuated towards the recoil position thereof to gradually compress the springs 22. Because of the load on cable 106, the portion thereof extending from receiver 14 seeks a right angular relationship to lever 90 and thereby moves ball 104 forwardly along bore 98 to increase the leverage applied by the lever to bolt 20 as the springs 22 are compressed.

It is clearly apparent from the foregoing that there is provided herein for firearms with a spring-biased bolt a charging device which provides easy manual charging because of the variable mechanical-advantage which in.- creases the leverage applied to the bolt as the springs which bias the bolt to the battery position are compressed. It is also obvious that the charger is simple and rugged in construction and positive in operation.

Although a particular embodiment of theinvention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. A charger for a firearm including a receiver with a bolt slidingly disposed therein, said bolt being biased from a recoil to a battery position by spring means which apply an increasing load to the bolt during displacement thereof to the recoil position, the charger including a lever pivotally disposed relative to the receiver and mounted thereto at the forward end for displacement between a closed position parallel to the outside of the receiver and an open position disposed at right angles thereto, the length of said lever being at least equal to the distance between the recoil and battery positions of the bolt and said lever being disposed so that the forward end thereof is adjacent the battery position of the bolt and the rear end is adjacent the recoil position thereof, a cable connected at one end to means engageable with the bolt for actuating the bolt to the recoil position, a ball attached to the opposite end of said cable, a bore disposed along said lever to slidingly receive said ball, an aperture disposed through the wall of the receiver for passage of said cable therethrough, a pulley for rollingly guiding said cable through said apertnre, said pulley being disposed adjacent the rear end of said bore when said lever is in the battery position for positioning said ball adjacent the rear end of said bore when said lever is in the closed position, a mouth portion extending outwardly from said bore along the length thereof to permit movement of said ball along said bore to gradually increase the leverage applied to the bolt by said lever as said lever is actuated to the open position, and means for disconnecting the bolt from said cable when said lever is in the open position.

2. The charger as defined in claim 1 wherein said disconnecting means include a beam attached to the outside of the receiver parallel to the' travel of the bolt between the battery and recoil positions thereof, means for mounting said lever on the front end of said beam, keyhole slot means provided along said beam, said keyhole slot means beingarcuately arranged at the front end to provide communication with said bore when said lever is in the open position to free said ball for passage from said bore along said keyhole slot means and thereby permit the return of the bolt to the battery position under the bias of the spring means.

3. The charger as defined in claim 2 and including a finger spring disposed at the end of saidkey hole slot means to position said ball for insertion into said bore when said lever is moved to the closed position, and

apply an increasing load tothe bolt during displacement to the recoil position, the charger including a lever pivotally mounted at the front end on the receiver for displacement between a closed position parallel to the outside thereof and an open position disposed at right angles thereto, the length of said lever being at least equal to the distance between the recoil and battery positions of the bolt and said lever being so'mounted on the receiver that the front end is adjacent the battery position of the bolt and the rear end is adjacent therecoil position thereof when the bolt is in the battery position, a casing fixedly secured to the inside of the receiver on the opposite side of the wall thereof from said lever when in the closed position and so as to be parallel to the travel of the bolt, flange portions extending from the rear end of said casing through an aperture in the receiver for registry with the rear portion of said lever when in the closed position, an actuator slidingly disposed in said casing, a lug extending from said actuator through a mouth portion along said casing, a latch pivotally disposed on the bolt for contact by said lug when rearwardly displaced, a cable extending through said aperture and along said casing to be connected to said actuator for drawing said actuator rearwardly along said casing, a ball attached to the end of said cable opposite that attached to saidactuator, a bore disposed along said lever to slidingly receive said ball, a pulley mounted between said flanges for rollingly guiding said cable through said aperture, said pulley being disposed to position said ball in the rear end of said bore when said lever is in the closed position, a mouth portion extending outwardly from said bore along the length thereof to permit movement of said ball along said bore to gradually increase the leverage applied to the bolt by said lever as said lever is actuated to the open position, and a disconnector disposed on said casing for camming engagement by said latch when the bolt is adjacent the means for inserting said ball into the rear end of said bore I responsive to final movement of said lever to the closed position.

4. The charger as defined in claim 3 wherein said in serting means includes an enlarged portion of said bore disposed at the rear end of said lever to receive said ball positioned by said finger spring, a leaf spring mounted to the receiver for forward displacement against said ball when positioned by said finger spring, and cam means disposed in said enlarged portion for cooperation with said leaf spring. to press said leaf spring against said ball for displacement into said bore and at the same time latch said lever in the closed position responsive to actuation of said lever thereto.

5. A charger for a firearm including a receiver with a bolt slidingly disposed therein, said bolt being biased from a recoil to a battery position by spring means which recoil position to actuate said latch out of contact with said lug to release the bolt from said actuator.

6. The charger as defined in claim 5 and including a spring disposed in said casing for action against said actuator to return said actuator to the front end of said casing when said lever is pivoted from the open to the closed position and toresiliently retain the lever therein.

7. A charger for a firearm including a receiver with a bolt slidingly disposed therein, said bolt being biased from a recoil to a battery position by spring means which apply an increasing load to the bolt during actuation thereof to the recoil position, the charger including lever means pivotally mounted at one end by means of a fulcrum to the receiver for displacement between a closed and an open position, a handle provided at the opposite end of said lever means, a cable connected at one end to means engageable with the bolt for actuation thereof to the recoil position when said cable is pulled, a ball fastened to the opposite end of said cable, a keyhole slot extending along the length of said lever means, said keyhole slot being arranged to, engage said ball to said lever means so as to be slidable therealong, and means operationally disposed between said lever means and the bolt for cooperation With said cable so that when pull is applied to said cable by said lever means said ball is displaced along said keyhole slot to effect a gradually increasing mechanical advantage between said lever means and the bolt as said lever means is displaced from the closed to the open position.

8. A charger for a firearm including a receiver with a bolt slidingly disposed therein, said bolt being biased from a recoil to a battery position by spring means which apply an increasing load to the bolt during actuation thereof to the recoil position, the charger including lever means pivotally mounted at one'end by means of a fulcrum to the receiver for displacement between a closed and an open position, a handle provided at the opposite end of said lever means; a cable connected at one end to means engageable with the bolt for actuation thereof to the recoil 7 position, a ball attached to the opposite end of said cable, a bore disposed along said lever means to slidingly receive said ball, an aperture provided through the wall of the receiver for the passage of said cable therethrough, a pulley disposed in said aperture for rollingly supporting said cable during passage through said aperture, said aperture and pulley being arranged to locate said ball in the end of said bore at the free end of said lever means when said lever means is in the closed position, and a mouth portion extending outwardly from said bore along the length thereof for passage of said cable therethrough to permit movement of said ball along said bore to gradually increase the leverage applied to the bolt by said lever as said lever is actuated to the open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coupland Feb. 16, 1932 Richey Nov. 18, 1947 Ramseyer Sept. 13, 1955 Deslierres et a1 Oct. 22, 1957 Hillberg July 29, 1958 

